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4 Minutes
Following the overwhelming success of her 2005 comeback album Confessions On A Dancefloor in the European market, Madonna’s goal with the follow-up was to conquer the US again. Though Confessions spawned “Hung Up”, the biggest-selling single of Madonna’s career and a #1 hit in 45 countries, it was not as well received in the US as it was in the international market. For her next album – her last under her contract with Warner Brothers – she enlisted help from a number of collaborators including Timbaland and Pharrell Williams to move her towards a more urban direction but including pop and dance influences as well. In fall 2007, it was confirmed that the lead single from Madonna’s new album would be “4 Minutes To Save The World” (later retitled “4 Minutes”), produced by and featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. It seemed like a good move for a US comeback; Timbaland became the “it” producer of the moment since producing the #1 hits “Promiscuous” and “Say It Right” for Nelly Furtado and “SexyBack”, “My Love”, and “What Goes Around...Comes Around” for Timberlake. Timbaland premiered part of the song at a concert in Philadelphia in December 2007, of which a recording leaked online. A French radio station premiered the full studio version on February 29, 2008, leading some stations to jump on it early and play the radio rip. Most stations, however, waited until its official March 17 release to premiere the song, its release coming just a week after Madonna’s induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It has received a mixed reception from fans and critics, many labeling the song “too busy”. In Chuck Taylor’s review of the song in Billboard Magazine, he writes “There's an awful lot going on in the busy dance track: sing-song verses, insistent foghorns, cowbells, chants of 'tick-tock' and a rap from Timbaland—but the trade-off chorus between Madge and Justin of 'We've only got four minutes to save the world' is hooky enough unto itself to sell the song.” ”4 Minutes” became Madonna’s biggest North American hit in years. Thanks to download sales, it became her biggest hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 since 2000’s “Music” and broke Elvis Presley’s record for most top 10 hits. It entered the Radio and Records pop charts at #23 and eventually earned her first top 10 hit since 2002’s “Die Another Day”. Elsewhere, it broke a record on the Canadian airplay charts when it debuted at #5, eventually peaking at #1; it also was her thirteenth UK #1, and topped many personal charts. On Jessica’s Top 40, “4 Minutes” debuted at #25 – her highest entry in the top 40 since ending my 2001-04 obsession with her music. Just three weeks after, it became Madonna’s eighth #1, further extending her lead as the artist with the most #1 singles by far. Coincidentally, it reached #1 in its fourth chart week and moved up from its previous peak of #4. It also marked the first #1 for Justin Timberlake, whose previous best was #4 as an artist with “SexyBack” and #2 as a songwriter/producer on Duran Duran’s “Falling Down” and Rihanna’s “Rehab” (the latter of which also reached #1 when it re-entered the top 40 later in the year). It’s also the first song produced by Timbaland and/or his protégé Nate “Danja” Hills to reach #1; their previous best was also with “SexyBack”.